Jin Ai, PhD

Jin Ai is an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) at Rutgers University–Newark. She studies the social architecture of science and technology innovation, examining how funding systems, emerging technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence) and civic actors jointly shape the direction, structure, and governance of public innovation. Drawing on large-scale administrative, bibliometric, and digital trace data, she develops computational and network-based methods to model innovation dynamics and uncover hidden patterns in innovation ecosystems. Her work evaluates how institutional design influences scientific novelty, technological development, and policy outcomes. Through this research, she advances theory on innovation systems while informing the design of evidence-based science and technology policy. Her teaching complements this agenda by equipping public and nonprofit leaders with data and AI literacy for governing complex technological systems. She emphasizes analytical rigor, evidence-based reasoning, and the responsible use of computational tools in public decision-making. At Rutgers SPAA, she launched a new MPA course in Fall 2025 on AI and emerging technologies for the public and nonprofit sectors.

Research Areas

• Science & Technology Innovation
• Computational Social Science
• Philanthropy & Nonprofit

Education

• PhD: Indiana University, Philanthropic Studies (2024)
• MPA: Renmin University of China
• Bachelor's: China University of Political Science and Law, Public Management